Press Release

Annual EU healthcare index puts The

Netherlands in “uncontested leadership”
Emerging pattern among the top countries: Consumer information drives choice
and care quality

Brussels, 28th of September 2009

The Netherlands win the 2009 Euro Health Consumer Index (EHCI), for the
second year in a row - the first time this happens since the EHCI started in
2005 – and with an outstanding margin. Nevertheless, Denmark keeps its
runner-up position from last year. Besides the Dutch and Danish system there
is a small group of strong performers: Iceland, Austria and Switzerland.
Luxembourg leaves the top league, losing 5 positions. Estonia, “the wonder
boy” of the EHCI, drops significantly but anyhow delivers value for money
healthcare.

There are general improvement trends among most of the measured healthcare
systems, with examples of reform making impact not only in Netherlands but in Ireland
or the Czech Republic as well. There are is continuous decline in the Spanish, Portuguese
and Greek healthcare systems which do not keep up with the improvement rate one can
find in countries like the Netherlands, Denmark or Ireland. Large parts of Eastern and
Central Europe seem to be affected by the financial crisis.

The HCP research director, Dr. Arne Bjornberg, comments on the EHCI 2009 outcomes:
“As the Netherlands are expanding their lead among the best performing countries, the
Index indicates that the Dutch might have found a successful approach. It combines
competition for funding and provision within a regulated framework. There are
information tools to support active choice among consumers. The Netherlands have
started working on patient empowerment early, which now clearly pays off in many
areas. And politicians and bureaucrats are comparatively far removed from operative
decisions on delivery of Dutch healthcare services!”

Johan Hjertqvist, President of Health Consumer Powerhouse, commented: “With patient

mobility growing around Europe, there is a strong need for transparency exposing the
pros and cons of the national healthcare systems. The EU intends to introduce a cross-
border care scheme which requires significantly better information to patients. This
years´ measurement indicates that forward-looking governments start using healthcare
information and choice to engage patients in the decision-making, building a pressure
from below for improvement”.

Office Brussels: Rue Fossé aux Loups 34, B - 1000 Brussels, Belgium
Phone: +32 (0) 2 218 73 94 brussels@healthpowerhouse.com www.healthpowerhouse.com
 Press Release
EURO HEALTH CONSUMER INDEX 2009 AT A GLANCE:
Rank Country Change Rank Country Change Rank Country Change
1 Netherlands - 12 Finland -3 23 Greece -4
2 Denmark - 13 Ireland +2 24 FYROM +6
3 Iceland N/A 14 UK -1 25 Portugal +1
4 Austria -1 15 Italy +1 26 Poland -1
5 Switzerland +2 16 Slovenia +4 27 Malta -4
6 Germany - 17 Czech Republic -1 28 Slovakia -6
7 France +3 18 Estonia -7 29 Lithuania -5
8 Sweden -3 19 Cyprus +2 30 Albania N/A
9 Luxembourg -5 20 Hungary -6 31 Latvia -
10 Norway -2 21 Spain -3 32 Romania -5
11 Belgium +1 22 Croatia +7 32 Bulgaria -5

Index performance criteria

The EHCI 2009 groups 38 indicators of quality into six categories: Patient rights and
information, e-Health, Waiting time for treatment, Outcomes, Range and reach of
services provided and Pharmaceuticals. Each sub-discipline is weighted for importance to
provide the overall Index score. The individual category leaders were as follows:

 Patient rights and information: Denmark

 e-Health: Denmark,Netherlands
 Waiting time for treatment: Albania,Belgium,Germany,Switzerland
 Outcomes: Sweden
 Range and reach of services provided: Belgium,Luxembourg,Sweden
 Pharmaceuticals: Denmark,Netherlands

About the EHCI

The EHCI has become a measurement standard for European healthcare. It ranks 33 national
European health care systems across 38 indicators, covering six areas that are key to the health
consumer: Patients’ rights and information, e-Health, Waiting times for treatment, Treatment
outcomes, Range and reach of services provided and Access to medication. The Index is compiled
from a combination of public statistics, patient polls and independent research conducted by the
founders, Brussels-based think tank Health Consumer Powerhouse. The EHCI 2009 takes a
consumer centred position and works with the support of the European Commission - DG
Information Society and Media - and the assistance of the Swedish EU Presidency.
For more information and the explanatory report:
http://www.healthpowerhouse.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=55&Itemid=54
About the EHCI, contact Dr. Arne Bjornberg
arne.bjornberg@healthpowerhouse.com, +46 705 84 84 51
About the Health Consumer Powerhouse: www.healthpowerhouse.com or contact Dr. Raluca
Nagy, raluca.nagy@healthpowerhouse.com, +32 472 61 24 63

Office Brussels: Rue Fossé aux Loups 34, B - 1000 Brussels, Belgium
Phone: +32 (0) 2 218 73 94 brussels@healthpowerhouse.com www.healthpowerhouse.com